Rundown of Fire Suppression Systems

Clean agents are defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as “electrically nonconductive, nonvolatile gaseous fire suppressant agents that do not leave a residue upon evaporation.” In other words, a clean agent is a way to put out a fire without utilizing water. This type of clean agent fire suppression for Cleveland area businesses is the optimal choice for data, telco, IT and other mission critical equipment that fall under the category of irreplaceable, including art and antiques. Hard Fire carries, installs and services clean agent fire suppression systems so we thought it would be nice if we provided some insight into how these systems work and how they can benefit you.

Clean agent fire suppression systems work by holding back the chain reaction that unfolds between heat oxygen and a fuel source. Some examples of clean agents lie below:

NOVEC 1230 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is safe to use in the presence of people. It is a safe sustainable HFC alternative that works in a swift manner, clean and efficient to help stop a fire shortly after it starts. The intended usage is designed for use as a gaseous fire suppression agent, primarily in situations where a sprinkler would do irreparable damage to equipment and data or where water-based suppression would not suppress the fire quickly enough to be beneficial.

FM-200 Also known as 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane, this is a colorless, odorless people friendly halocarbon that is put to use as a clean, people safe fire suppression agent. This suppression type is used most frequently in data processing and telecommunications facilities.

Water Mist Replacing the standard type of sprinkler system, this version uses a small fraction of water, with fine spray droplets to control, suppress and extinguish fires by cooling the flame and surrounding gases (evaporation), assuaging radiant heat with the small droplets.

CO2 Carbon dioxide is used in non-occupied industrial spaces and local application machinery protection. CO2 reduces the amount of oxygen available to feed the fire.

Inert Agent Systems chemically inert, elements found in the air we breathe, these agents “remix” the air to create an atmosphere where fire cannot exist. Used in spaces where chemical reaction could present a life safety hazard.

The many benefits to commercial fire suppression systems that use clean agents are as follows:

They work quickly, can reach extinguishing levels in 10 seconds or less.

They are incredibly effective. In conjunction with an early detection system, they control and extinguish a fire when it is still in its incipient stage and before it has a chance to spread. These types of fire suppression agents are non-conductive and non-corrosive, which means they will not damage electronics, mechanical devices, art, etc.

Safe to use around people and do not present any health hazards.

They evaporate cleanly by quickly vaporizing into gas form during discharge. They do not leave any residue behind and that means cleanup will not be required. They also safely and effectively reach all areas of the protected space. These clean agents will not damage sensitive, mission critical equipment.

Clean agents such as NOVEC 1230 are eco-friendly. They do not contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer, and they have a short atmospheric lifetime. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not have any usage restrictions for clean agents like FM-200 or Novec 1230.

Are you interested in learning more about clean agents and commercial fire suppression systems in Cleveland? Call us at Hard Fire at 1-800-848-1301 or 614-882-2990, or you can Contact Us.

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